“Puli Meka,” also known as “Tiger Goat” or “Aadu Huli Aata” in various regions of India, is a traditional two-player board game that is typically played on a square board with a grid-like pattern. The game is popular in South India, especially in the state of Karnataka. Here are the rules to play Puli Meka:

Materials:

• Puli Meka board: A square board divided into a 5×5 grid, with 25 intersections.
• 3 tigers and 15 goats: The tigers are usually represented by larger tokens, and the goats are represented by smaller tokens.

Objective: The objective of Puli Meka is different for each player:

• The player controlling the tigers aims to capture the goats by jumping over them.
• The player controlling the goats aims to trap the tigers in such a way that they cannot move.

Setup:

1. Place the Puli Meka board between the two players, with the grid lines aligned.
2. One player controls the three tigers, placing them initially on three intersections of the board.
3. The other player controls the fifteen goats, placing them initially on the remaining intersections.

Gameplay:

1. The players take turns to make their moves, starting with the player controlling the goats.
2. Goat Moves:
   • A goat can move to any adjacent intersection that is connected by a line, similar to moves in checkers.
   • Goats can never move diagonally.
   • The goats’ objective is to surround the tigers and restrict their movement.
3. Tiger Moves:
   • A tiger can move to any adjacent intersection that is connected by a line, just like the goats.
   • Additionally, tigers can jump over a goat that is adjacent to them and capture it. The tiger must have an empty intersection immediately beyond the goat to make this capture move.
   • Tigers can make multiple successive jumps over goats if the landing position is unoccupied, capturing each goat in the process.
   • The tigers’ objective is to capture as many goats as possible.
4. Capture:
   • When a tiger captures a goat, the goat is removed from the board and considered out of the game.
   • The captured goats are not returned to play.

Winning:

• The tigers win the game if they capture at least six goats, leaving the remaining goats unable to trap them.
• The goats win the game if they manage to surround the tigers in such a way that the tigers cannot make any legal moves.

Puli Meka is a strategic and engaging game that requires careful planning and anticipation of your opponent’s moves. It is a game of skill and tactics that has been passed down through generations and remains a beloved pastime in certain regions of India.